How does class size at Harvard compare to Rice for undergraduate students?

Rice will usually feel smaller in the classroom for undergraduates. Rice is a much smaller university overall, and that shows up in day-to-day academics: many courses, especially outside the biggest intro sequences, are taught in relatively small sections where faculty interaction is common. Harvard also offers plenty of small seminars and discussion-based classes, but because the undergraduate population is much larger, students are more likely to encounter bigger lecture courses, especially early on.

At Rice, the scale of the school makes it easier for small classes to be a normal part of the experience rather than something you mostly reach later. The residential college system also reinforces a close-knit academic feel, since students often build tighter communities and have easier access to professors and advisers.

At Harvard, the classroom experience can vary more by department and course level. Intro classes in economics, government, computer science, or life sciences can be quite large, often paired with smaller discussion or lab sections led by teaching fellows. Once students move into upper-level coursework, classes often become much more intimate, but the path there may include more large lectures than at Rice.

So in practical terms, if you are trying to avoid a lecture-heavy environment from the start, Rice has the clearer edge. Harvard absolutely provides close faculty contact too, but it is more of a mix: some very personal classes, some very large ones, and a wider range depending on what you study.